Suzchou, China

Today we traveled by bullet train to the garden city of Suzhou (Soochow) where we visited the Master of Fishing Nets Garden, a scholar's garden named as an allusion to the simple life of a fisherman. It is one of the smallest, but considered one of the best and most elegant of the private gardens still existing. Its Courtyard of the Jade Spring Abode was used as a model for a Chinese court in New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. Later we  hopped onto a sampan for a ride through the canals of the city then walked through the ancient cultural street through the open markets. After lunch we visited the Silk Embroidery Institute where masters create exquisite embroidery pieces that are often perfectly stitched on both sides and sell for thousands of dollars.

An interesting aside…All over China we have run into young women having pictures taken in public places. Our guide tells us these are brides, and they are traditionally photographed, alone or with their grooms-to-be, in several dresses that they will wear on their wedding day. We saw two couples today as we walked around Suzhou.

Master of Fishing Nets Garden

Canal on Suzhou 

Canal closer to town 

Bride and Groom

And another